Your Hump Day Reading List for August 9, 2017

Another Wednesday, another Hump Day Reading List! I’ve got quite a variety today, all aimed at helping you live a safer, more secure life.

Can you trust gun law maps?

We’ve all seen them, and perhaps even consulted them from time to time. Maps showing gun laws and concealed carry restrictions are common on the ‘net, but how reliable are they? As it happens, at least for concealed carry at airports, not very. This article shows a popular map, and the author does a significant amount of research to find out that it isn’t even close to being correct.

It’s too simple to say “never trust a third-party source for gun laws”, because there are some good ones out there. Just understand that it’s your responsibility to know what the laws in your area actually say. The police aren’t going to be impressed with “but I read it on the internet!”

A good tip for travelers

When you’re staying away from home, do you make it a point to arrange your hotel room to make it easy to find things in an emergency? This article talks about one way to do that, and just why it’s important. (The article has a bunch of blatant affiliate sales links, but the tip is solid.)

Don’t be this guy. No, seriously, don’t.

I’ve presented many cases of “negative outcomes”. Some of those cases involved a wrongful intervention on the part of a gun owner, while others have covered the reasons “warning shots” are almost always a bad idea. This case out of North Carolina features both, and didn’t end well for the fellow involved. His gun has been destroyed and his concealed carry license revoked, all because he really didn’t understand the legitimate use of lethal force.

Your gun is to protect yourself and your loved ones from an identifiable and articulable threat to your immediate safety. Anytime you vary from that, you’re at risk for a negative outcome. Intervening in someone else’s fight is fraught with danger, and you have a responsibility to be sure that your use (or threat) of lethal force is truly justified.

(Yes, the anti-gun hyperbole of the writer is annoying. It doesn’t change the importance of the lesson, however.)

Concealed Carry 101: Picking good gear

There’s a popular blog where people send in pictures of their concealed carry rigs to be featured on that blog. Some of the rigs are good, some are not-so-good, and some are downright reckless. It seems that new concealed carriers could use a bit of fundamental advice but don’t seem to be getting it. Well, my friend Jim Wilson has some. Building a concealed carry rig isn’t that tough, and frankly you can get far better quality than I could when I started out. You can also get worse quality, and Jim explains how to tell the difference.

Start small

Many people want to live more resilient or self-reliant lives, but feel they’re stuck in a position where they simply can’t. Whether it’s because of finances, time commitments, or even where they live, they don’t believe they can move forward. No matter where you are, you can still do something to better your preparedness.

(A solid plan of action often helps me to make progress. If I may be so bold, that’s what my new book Prepping For Life is all about!)

How resilient is the 911 phone system?

You might be surprised. Like any complex system it has its vulnerabilities, and one big one is a function of its availability to everyone. This article looks at one way the system might be compromised by a well-prepared foe.

The lesson to be learned? Don’t plan on 911 always being available. Find out your local dispatch center’s non-emergency landline and program it into your phone.

Being the good guy isn’t always enough.

One of the pervasive misconceptions about defensive shooting is the notion that downing a bad guy will earn the righteous defender the admiration of his neighbors. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In this Personal Defense Network article, read what happened to Aaron Kreag after he went to the defense of a woman being beaten by her husband in a parking lot. Aaron ended the incident without firing a shot and still had to deal with some surprising backlash. (Pay particular attention to what he says he’d do differently after his experience.)

Your smartphone is a goldmine to criminals

If your smartphone is stolen, not only do you have to worry about replacing an expensive device you also have to worry about what the criminals can do with it. This article looks at how thieves subcontract to phishing criminals, who use the phone to access your private information stored in the cloud. It’s not just about your phone; it’s about money and stolen identities, too. A fascinating look into a criminal underworld most of us don’t even know exists.

A sobering look at knife attacks

This is a fascinating article from Great Britain, which is something of a hotspot for crimes committed with knives. The author looks at a large number of knife attacks and comes to some conclusions that might surprise you. Definitely take the time to read and digest what he’s written.